Sharing the People's Joy and Concern

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English translation

Original Chinese text

English translation

King Xuan of Qi met Mencius at the Snow Palace and asked, ‘Do worthy people enjoy pleasures like this?’ Mencius replied, ‘They do. When people cannot enjoy them, they reproach those who govern them.’

Original Chinese text

English translation

‘It is wrong for people to blame their rulers simply because they lack such pleasures. It is also wrong for rulers not to share joy with the people.’

Original Chinese text

English translation

‘A ruler who rejoices in the people's joy will find them rejoicing in his; one who worries over their troubles will find them caring about his. There has never been one who shared the realm's joys and worries yet failed to achieve kingly rule.’

Original Chinese text

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‘In former days Duke Jing of Qi asked Yanzi: “I wish to tour Zhuanfu and Chaowu, go south along the coast, and reach Langya. How should I conduct the journey so that it compares with the tours of former kings?”’

Original Chinese text

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‘Yanzi answered: “A fine question. When the Son of Heaven visits the lords, it is called an inspection of what they guard. When the lords attend him, they report on their duties. Neither journey is without public business.”’

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‘In spring he inspects the fields and helps those in want; in autumn he inspects the harvest and aids those short of supplies. A saying from the Xia has it: “If our king never travels, how shall we find relief? If he never makes a progress, how shall we receive help?” Such journeys set a measure for other rulers.’

Original Chinese text

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‘Things are different now: the traveling retinue consumes provisions while the hungry go unfed and the weary get no rest. People glare at and accuse one another, and resentment spreads. Rulers defy their proper charge, abuse the people, and indulge in food, drink, and roaming pleasures, becoming a concern to other lords.’

Original Chinese text

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‘To drift downstream and forget to return is called liu; to go upstream and forget to return is lian. To hunt without restraint is called huang; to drink without restraint is called wang.’

Original Chinese text

English translation

‘The former kings took no pleasure in such aimless roaming or excess. The choice of conduct is yours.’ Duke Jing was pleased. He issued orders throughout the state, stayed outside the city, and began opening the granaries to aid those in need.

Original Chinese text

English translation

Duke Jing summoned his music master: ‘Compose music for the joy shared by ruler and ministers.’ The pieces may have been the Zhi Zhao and Jue Zhao. Their verse asks, ‘What fault is there in restraining a ruler?’ To restrain him in this sense is to care for him.

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